Compactor

ABSTRACT

A refuse compactor which includes a refuse receptacle movable into and out of the compactor housing and a ram movable into and out of the receptacle when it is positioned within the housing beneath the ram. An interlock is automatically actuated by initial downward movement of the ram to lock the receptacle in position beneath the ram. Normally open safety switches are engaged by the receptacle when it is positioned beneath the ram to permit the motor powering the ram to be energized. An access door permits the deposition of refuse in the compactor, regardless of whether or not the movable receptacle is locked in position.

atent [191 United States Engebretsen [54] coMPAcToR [75] inventor: Einar 0. Engebretsen, Troy, Ohio [73] Assignee: The Hobart Manufacturing Company, Troy, Ohio [22] Filed: Feb. 9, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 224,897

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,641,122 6/1953.. Cavagnaroietal 16o/53S( 56,456 7/1866 Seeberger et al. 1.00/229 X 1,675,669 7/1928 Snyder 100/229 X 2,316,734 4/1943 Wells 100/53 2,916,985 l2/1959 Beach 100/53 3,285,505 ll/l966 Katz 100/215 X 3,353,478 11/1967 Kopkins 100/290 X [451 Apr. 30, 1974 Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney, Agent, or Firm-lawrence B. Biebel [57] ABSTRACT A refuse compactor which includes a refuse receptacle movable into and out of the compactor housing and a ram movable into and out of the receptacle when it is positioned within the housing beneath the ram. An interlock is automatically actuated by initial downward movement of the ram to lock the receptacle in position beneath the ram. Normally open safety switches are engaged by the receptacle when it is positioned beneath the ram to permit the motor powering the ram to be energized. An access door permits the deposition of refuse in the compactor, regardless of whether or not the movable receptacle is locked in position.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Kinkel et al. 100/53 X SLB-A295 PA'EEmPR so um SHEEI 1 UF 2 RETRACTED POSITION OF RAM LOCKED POSITION OF LATCH coMPAcToR CRoss REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS TRASH COMPACTOR WITH REMOVABLE LINER, Ser. No. 184,038, filed Sept. 27, 1971 (Docket 5501); COMPACTOR COMPARTMENT AR- RANGEMENT, Ser. No. 188,295, tiled Oct. l2, 1971 (Docket 5509); COMPACTOR AND DRIVE ASSEM- BLY, Ser. No. 194891, filed Nov. 2, 1971 (Docket 5500 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Refuse compactors intended for home use are receiving increasing acceptance as a means for combatting problems of solid waste disposal. Since many of the items which are normally generated as solid waste materials by the average household are of relatively great volume with respect to their mass, compaction of refuse of this type greatly decreases the total volume of refuse which must be treated. For example, milk cartons, tin cans and bottles may all be compacted to a relatively small proportion of their original volume by relatively moderate compaction forces.

However, it is desirable where a piece of equipment is to be used by the general public rather than by trained operators, to provide more or less automatically actuated safety mechanisms. For example, if the ram which compacts waste material in the compactor should be actuated while the waste material receiving receptacle is improperly positioned beneath the ram there is a great danger of personal injury as well as severe equipment damage.

Additionally, and for similar reasons, it will be seen that it would be undesirable for the refuse receptacle to be moved during a compacting stroke of the ram. This might occur if someone inadvertently attempted to remove the receptacle during ram operation or if the position of refuse in the receptacle caused an outward force to be applied to the receptacle as the ram moved downwardly in a compacting stroke.

Despite the desirability of incorporating thesafety features mentioned above, convenience of use makes it desirable for the compactor to receive waste material even though the main refuse receptacle is locked in position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A compactor in accordance with the present invention includes a safety interlock which is automatically actuated by an initial movement of the compacting ram from a raised, inactive position downwardly toward the receptacle. Movement of the ram, however, is prevented by means of normally opened safety switches which are closed through contact with the receptacle when the receptacle is positioned properly to receive the ram in a compacting stroke.` Despite the fact that the receptacle is locked in position, items of refuse can be fed into the unit through an access door provided for this purpose'.

The present invention, therefore, provides interrelated safety switches and an interlock to prevent both inadvertent operation of the ram when the receptacle is improperly positionedand movement ot` the receptacle from its compacting position during a compacting stroke of the ram. At thelsame time items of refuse can 2 be deposited in the compactor during operation thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is an elevational view of the compactor show ing the receptacle thereof in both its compacting and noncompacting positions;

FIG. 2 is a view of a portion of the compactor of FIG. l taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is another view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of the structure of FIG. 2 showing the latch member moved between locking and unlocking positions;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a portion of the interlock structure;

FIG. 6 is a top view of one of the safety switches taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a representation of the wiring diagram of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the compactor 10 includes an upstandng housing l2 within which a receptacle 14 is received. As shown in FIG. 1, the receptacle 14 may take the form of a drawer slidable between a compacting position fully within the housing l2 and a noncompacting position outwardly of the housing, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

A ram 16 is also positioned in the housing and carries a motor 18 which, through a suitable drive chain, drives sprockets 20 to cause the entire ram mounted assembly to move upwardly and downwardly along the stationary jack screws 22. Preferably, three such jack screws will be utilized, arranged in triangular relationship with two jack screws positioned adjacent the front ofthe housing and one jack screw positioned centrally adjacent a rear wall of the housing.

Thus, the ram is movable between an inactive position wherein its lower surface 24 just clears an upper edge 26 of the receptacle, permitting the receptacle to be moved outwardly to the noncompacting position, and a compacting position within said receptacle when the receptacle is fully positioned within the housing 1,2.

The drive motor 18 for the ram may conveniently be provided with a reversing switch which will automatically cause the ram to retract to its inactive position after some predetermined load is imposed on the motor as it drives the ram in a compacting stroke. The particular reversing switch does not form part of the present invention and may conveniently take the form of the reverse relay described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,892. Additionally, although the above description is sufficient for present purposes a detailed description of the compactor may also be found in the above noted, related applications.

Mounted on a rear surface of the drawer 14, as best seen in FIGS. 2 through 5 of the drawings, is an angle shaped strike member 28 having a slot 30 formed through its rearwardly projecting bottom leg 34. A substantially U-shaped bracket 36 is attached to the housing adjacent the rear thereof and carries a bolt member 38 extending between the two 4legs 40 and 42 of the bracket.

A` substantially T-shaped latch member 44 is mounted on the bolt 38 and has a downwardly projecting stem 46 receivable in the slot 30 in the bracket 28. A coil spring 48 is also mounted on the bolt 38 and has one end 50 received in a slot 52 in the bracket 36 while an opposite end 54 is received in a slot 56 in the latch member 44. A portion of the base 58 of the housing is also provided with a slot 60 which aligns with the slot 30 when the receptacle 14 is in the compacting position.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the ram 16 is provided with an L-shaped bracket 66 which projects to one side thereof, and, as seen in FIG. 5, a connecting rod 68 has its lower, forwardly bent end 69 rotatably received in an opening formed adjacent one end of the cross member 70 of the latch 44. The connecting rod is loosely received in an opening 72 formed through leg 74 of the bracket 66 and has its upper end bent at an angle to form a stop member 76.

With the above structure it will be seen that by properly proportioning the length of the connecting rod 68, the latch member 44 will be pivoted about the pin 38 so that its stem 46 clears the slot 30 in the bracket 28 when the ram 16 is in its inactive, retracted position, as

shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings. However, a small initial movement of the ram 16 from its inactive position toward the receptacle will permit the latch to be urged by spring 48 into engagement with the strike member 28, locking thereceptacle 14' in the compacting position within the housing.

It will alsobe noted that a safety switch, the housing for which is shown at 78, is mounted at the rear of the housing, provided with a forwardly projecting tripping lever 80 which engages the rear of the receptacle 1,4 ywhen it is in the compacting position, thereby closing the switch. An additional safety switch 82, as seen in FIG. l of the drawings, is engaged by a pin 84 when the receptacle 14 is in its compacting position.

Thus, as will be particularly apparent in reference to FIG. 7 of the drawings, only when the receptacle is in its compacting position will closing the switch labeled push to start allow the motor 18 to be energized to drive the ram to a compacting position within the receptacle 14. At the same time, initial movement of the ram in respect to energizing of the motor 18 will lock the receptacle in this position. The ram, therefore, cannot be moved unless the receptacle is in position and the receptacle cannot be moved after the ram has begun to move.V

While the receptacle 14 is locked in position by initial movement of the ram, access may still be had tothe interior of the compactor through the access door 86. Waste material, particularly small items such as milk cartons, bottles, cans, etc., can be deposited in the compactor, where they will rest on the inclined shelf 88 until such time as the receptacle 14 is moved outwardly of the housing. This will allow articles laying on the shelf 88 to clear the vertical wall 90 and fall into the receptacle 14. The user, therefore, need not wait until the receptacle'is unlocked to deposit material in the compactor, but he is of course protected against injury, etc., during operation ofthe ram by the wall 90.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A compactor comprising:

a. a supporting housing,

b. a receptacle movable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position,

c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions within said receptacle to compact material therein,

d. latching means including a strike -member and a latch member for locking said receptacle against movement from said compacting position thereof,

e. means responsive to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position thereof to engage said latch member with said strike member, and

f. means for depositing material in said compactor when said receptacle is in the locked position thereof.

2. The compactor of claim l further comprising:

a. means for preventing movement of said ram when said receptacle is displaced from said locked position thereof.

3. The compactor of claim 2 wherein said means for preventing movement of said receptacle comprises:

a. switch means mounted on said housing and engageable by said receptacle in said lockedposition thereof.

4. The compactor of claim 3 wherein said switch means comprises:

a. a plurality of switches engageable by said receptacle in said locked position thereof.

5. The compactor of claim 1 wherein:

a. said strike member is mounted on said receptacle,

and

b. said latch'member is mounted on said housing,

c. means responsive to movement of said ram from said inactive position to engage said latch member with said strike member and lock said receptacle in said locked position.

6. The compactor of claim 1 wherein said means responsive to movement of said ram comprises:

a. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram,

b. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member in response to initial'movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive position.

7. A compactor comprising:

a. a supporting housing,

b. a receptacle moveable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position, t

c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions in said receptacle `to compact material therein,

d. a strike member mounted on said receptacle,

e. a latch member mounted on said housing and engageable with said strike member when said receptacle is in said compacting position, and

f. means responsive to movement of said ram from said inactive position to engage said latch member with said strike member and lock said receptacle in said locked position.

8. The compactor of claim 7 wherein said means responsive to movement of said ram comprises:

a. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram,

b. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member in response to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive position.

9. The compactor of claim 8wherein said lost motion connection comprises:

a. a bracket mounted on said ram and projecting outwardly thereof,

b. means defining an opening through said bracket looselyreceiving said connecting rod, and

c. a stop on one end of said connecting rod engageable with said bracket when said ram is in said inactive position.

l0. The compactor of claim 9 wherein:

a. said latch member is pivotally attached to said housing for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with said strike member, and

b` spring means urging said latch into engagement with said strike means` 1l. A compactor comp-rising:

a. a supporting housing,

b. a receptacle movable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position,

c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions within said receptacle to compact material therein,

d. a strike member mounted on said receptacle',

e. a latch member mounted on said housing and engageable with said strike member when said receptacle is in said locked position thereof,

f. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram,

g. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member uin response to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive position, and

h. means for depositing material in said compactor when said receptacle is in the locked position thereof.

l2. The compactor of claim 11 wherein said lost motion connection comprises:

a. a bracket mounted on said ram and projecting outwardly thereof,

b. means defining an opening through said bracket loosely receiving said connecting rod, and

c. a stop on one end of said connecting rod engageable with said bracket when said ram is in said inactive position.

13. The compactor of claim l2 wherein:

a. said latch member is pivotally attached to said housing for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with said strike member, and

b. spring means is provided urging said latch into engagement with 'said strike means.

14. A compactor comprising:

a. a supporting housing,

b. a receptacle movable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position,

c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions in said receptacle to compact material therein,

d. a strike member mounted on said receptacle,

e. a latch member mounted on said housing andengageable with said strike member when said receptacle is in said compacting position,

f. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram, and

g. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member in response to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive posi- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 .,CERTIFTCATE '0T CORRECTION PatemNo-g 3,807,2C95. l i I Dated oril 3o, 1974 Inventor(s) Einar. 0' Engebretsen It is certified that error appears 'in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 36 the comma after "housing" should be a period.

Column 4; lines 37 40, "c. means responsive to movement of said ram from said inactive position to engage said latch member with said strike member and lock said receptacle in said locked position."

should be deleted.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of October' 1974,

(SEAL) Attet:

MCGOY Mo GIBSON JR. I C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A compactor comprising: a. a supporting housing, b. a receptacle movable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position, c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions within said receptacle to compact material therein, d. latching means including a strike member and a latch member for locking said receptacle against movement from said compacting position thereof, e. means responsive to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position thereof to engage said latch member with said strike member, and f. means for depositing material in said compactor when said receptacle is in the locked position thereof.
 2. The compactor of claim 1 further comprising: a. means for preventing movement of said ram when said receptacle is displaced from said locked position thereof.
 3. The compactor of claim 2 wherein said means for preventing movement of said receptacle comprises: a. switch means mounted on said housing and engageable by said receptacle in said locked position thereof.
 4. The compactor of claim 3 wherein said switch means comprises: a. a plurality of switches engageable by said receptacle in said locked position thereof.
 5. The compactor of claim 1 wherein: a. said strike member is mounted on said receptacle, and b. said latch member is mounted on said housing, c. means responsive to movement of said ram from said inactive position to engage said latch member with said strike member and lock said receptacle in said locked position.
 6. The compactor of claim 1 wherein said means responsive to movement of said ram comprises: a. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram, b. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member in response to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive position.
 7. A compactor comprising: a. a supporting housing, b. a receptacle moveable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position, c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions in said receptacle to compact material therein, d. a strike member mounted on said receptacle, e. a latch member mounted on said housing and engageable with said strike member when said receptacle is in said compacting position, and f. means responsive to movement of said ram from said inactive position to engage said latch member with said strike member and lock said receptacle in said locked position.
 8. The compactor of claim 7 wherein said means responsive to movement of said ram comprises: a. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram, b. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member in response to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive position.
 9. The compactor of claim 8 wherein said lost motion connection comprises: a. a bracket mounted on said ram and projecting outwardly thereof, b. means defining an opening through said bracket loosely receiving said connecting rod, and c. a stop on one end of said connecting rod engageable with said bracket when said ram is in said inactive position.
 10. The compactor of claim 9 wherein: a. said latch member is pivotally attached to said housing for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with said strike member, and b. spring means urging said latch into engagement with said strike means.
 11. A compactor comprising: a. a supporting housing, b. a receptacle movable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position, c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions within said receptacle to compact material therein, d. a strike member mounted on said receptacle, e. a latch member mounted on said housing and engageable with said strike member when said receptacle is in said locked position thereof, f. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram, g. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member in response to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive position, and h. means for depositing material in said compactor when said receptacle is in the locked position thereof.
 12. The compactor of claim 11 wherein said lost motion connection comprises: a. a bracket mounted on said ram and projecting outwardly thereof, b. means defining an opening through said bracket loosely receiving said connecting rod, and c. a stop on one end of said connecting rod engageable with said bracket when said ram is in said inactive position.
 13. The compactor of claim 12 wherein: a. said latch member is pivotally attached to said housing for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with said strike member, and b. spring means is provided urging said latch into engagement with said strike means.
 14. A compactor comprising: a. a supporting housing, b. a receptacle movable between a compacting position within said housing and a noncompacting position displaced outwardly of said housing from said compacting position, c. a ram mounted for reciprocal movement between an inactive position out of said receptacle and positions in said receptacle to compact material therein, d. a strike member mounted on said receptacle, e. a latch member mounted on said housing and engageable with said strike member when said receptacle is in said compacting position, f. a connecting rod attached to said latch member and extending therefrom to said ram, and g. means forming a lost motion connection between said connecting rod and said ram to cause said latch member to move into and out of engagement with said strike member in response to initial movement of said ram from said inactive position and terminal movement thereof into said inactive position. 